The Arizona sentinel., 1887-08-06

region, since-it thrives in the driest and | most rocky soils without irrigation, and in such situations gives oil of finer quality than that obtained from olive orchards on rich alluvial soil. But both | valleys and foothills are suitable for the olive. It demands good drainage, and with that supplied will flourish in any description of soil. Perhaps, if the design be to pickle the berries, valley land would give better financial results than could had in the foothills In rich soils the crop is more abundant and the tree grows more rapidly, thought the quality of the fruit is not so good as that from orchard in hilly situations. In SIX years from the time of planting cuttings, so MT. Cooper has informed us, an olive orchard will give paying crop. and there will be astnall yield for a year or two before the six years An orchard increases in bearing capacity until a great age is attained, There is scarcely limit to the life of the tree. There are specimens, believed to Sbe 2e0e' years old. The root system never wholly dies, and constantly sends up suckers that, in state of nature, replaces the parent stem should the latter decay. An olive orchard, once brought to bearing condition, will give a constantly increasing revenue during the lifetime of its owner, and remain source ofrevenue for many generations. The olive is a much hardier tree than the orange. It will stand tenor twelve degrees more of cold. It can be plant ed in tho Sacramento valley; or in the foothills up to- ar elevation of 2000 feet or more, without the least danger of injury from cold. And the crop in this State seems to'be entirely unafect- ed by frost. The blossoms appear about May lst.
 An olive orchard is much easier and much cheaper to establish than an or ange orchard. Rooted olive cuttings two years old can be bought for 35 cts. each. or thereabouts, while first-class or ange tree cost at least Sl.50. The orange demands irrigation; the olive needs none. The olive can be success. fully grow OF cheap land, while the or ange calls for a deep, rich soil. And either for oil or for pickles the olive can be counted on to pay larger pro fit than the orange for many years to come in California.
 Comparatively few Americans real izo thc tl:c great food value of the olive It is the value of the trees products as nutriment that make it intrinsically of more worth than any other tree known to man. There is fable that illus trates how we'll the ancient Greeks knew this. Athens, 1t is related, was founded by Cecrops, who offered the privilege of naming the city to that one of the gods who should bestow the nest valuable gift upon man. Nep tune smote the earth with his trident and forthwith sprang the horse. But AthenR gave the olive tree and the city was named in her honor As no na tion had higher appreciation of the horse than had the ancient Greeks, one may perceive from this story the very high estimate which they placed upof the olive. The consumption of olive oil and pickled olives is certain tc enormously increase in America as fast
 as those products are placed within the reach of the people at reasonable
 prices.
 Anoliveatth the age of ten years should yield an average of twenty gallons ot
 berries to the tree Any quantity o
 pickled olives can now be sold at z;
 cents gallon in bulk. With l0(
 trees. to the acre, as in Mir. Ceoper's orchard, the yield per acre would bt
 2000 gallons: which, at 75 cents gal lon, would furnish return of Sl50C per acre. Fhe cost of picking is not over 10 cents gallon. Even at a, low price as 25 cents gallon, the net return would be large.